CaliforniaCommission would assess data center rates and household costs
The Public Utilities Commission must assess rate options that could make data centers cover a fair share of grid costs and ease pressure on household bills.
What it does
The commission must assess rate options that could make data centers cover a fair share of grid costs and ease pressure on residential customers. The law does not itself set new rates or promise lower bills.
Argument forIf the commission adopts suitable rates, data centers could cover more of their grid costs and ease pressure on household bills.
Argument againstAn assessment may not lead to new rates, so residential customers could keep facing cost pressures without data centers paying more.
More detail
The Public Utilities Commission must assess rate options for data centers. The assessment must consider data centers' reasonable share of transmission and distribution costs, wherever they connect, and their proportionate share of load growth and the energy purchases needed to serve them reliably. It must also consider residential customers, including customers in two utility discount programs. The bill requires an assessment of opportunities; it does not itself set new rates or guarantee lower household bills. The commission must assess these options as part of a new or existing proceeding.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 21Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 440, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 21Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 8Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 30Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB1168 McNerney et al. Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 28In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 1168 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Rogers. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 28Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6775.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 13Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13From consent calendar on motion of Assembly Member Flora.
- Aug 6Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.Minor
- Aug 5From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 5).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 24
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 15From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.Major
- Jun 4Referred to Com. on U. & E.Minor
- May 27In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading SB1168 McNerney et al. Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 4492.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 14Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 4267.) (May 14).Minor
- May 12Set for hearing May 14.
- May 11May 11 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- May 4Set for hearing May 11.
- Apr 23Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 23Withdrawn from committee.Major
- Apr 22From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.Major
- Apr 14From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. (Ayes 13. Noes 4. Page 3842.) (April 13). Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.Minor
- Apr 13
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Revenue and Taxation]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 6From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.Major
- Apr 2Set for hearing April 13.
- Feb 26Referred to Coms. on E., U & C. and REV. & TAX.Minor
- Feb 19From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.
- Feb 18Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
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